


The Inevitability of Change

by Talkin_to_a_Lady



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Family Fluff, Love, Marriage, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28034457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talkin_to_a_Lady/pseuds/Talkin_to_a_Lady
Summary: It's 1915.Arthur's life has settled, except for the one thing he can't fight - the growing up your daughter, Bea.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Morgan/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 46





	The Inevitability of Change

“The cold would bite at ya. It would find its way in through your layers, whatever clothes you piled on wouldn’t be enough. You could feel your skin gettin’ cut by old Jack Frost’s teeth… And the snow! My goodness the blizzards would come down so thick you couldn’t see past your horse’s nose. It were like bein’ in the middle of clouds. Only fools would dare to venture out in it.”  
“Were you a fool, Pa?”  
“Ohhhh most definitely, sweet pea.” Arthur grinned and he rested his forehead on Bea’s as she snuffled sleepily into the pillow.  
“And what about Momma? Was she a fool too?”  
“Your Momma was only a fool for marryin’ me, darlin’.”  
Bea giggled, “Did she not worry for you? Out in the snow?”  
“Your Momma and me weren’t… Well, we weren’t your Momma and me back then. And I know all too well that she had very little sympathy for any of us fools. She certainly weren’t as carin’ when we scraped our knees like you do.”  
“You’re so mean about Momma!”  
“Only when she can’t hear me.” He gave his little girl an affectionate jostle as he tucked her in  
“ _I **can** hear you!_”  
Arthur’s eyes widened in mock fear and he pulled a face at Bea, “Oh we’re in trouble now!” he winked and groaned as he got up from his chair, leaning down to kiss Bea’s forehead, “Don’t let that Jack Frost get ya, Beatrice!” he chuckled as he tickled his daughter’s sides through the covers, “He’ll get ya good!”  
“STOP IT, PA!” Bea managed through squeals and futile attempts at fighting back.  
“Goodnight sweetheart.”  
“Goodnight Pa.”

***

The snow had only started falling when Arthur sits at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. The lines on his face are craggier than ever as he scowls at the window, “It’s too cold for her to be goin’ out. The weather is settlin’ in, I don’t like it.”  
“She is _going_ , there’s nothing you can do about it, old man.” You stand behind Arthur and grip his shoulders affectionately as he ‘harrumphs’ in defeat.  
“What does this fella do anyhow?”  
“He works in town as an errand boy.”  
“Hmmm.” He slurps at his coffee while continuing to scowl at the world outside.  
You pour your own coffee and sit opposite him with a stern expression, “Listen, he’s a good boy. And she likes him a lot. I won’t have you scaring him off.”  
“I knew I shouldn’t have let you two go off gettin’ the groceries alone.”  
“Don’t bring me into this, I ain’t the one dating him!”  
Arthur’s eyes flick back to you and his face softens slightly, “Sixteen. She’s sixteen, darlin’. And I know how young men think.”  
“If they’re anything like you, they won’t change neither.” You tease, looking at him as you sip your coffee, “Age certainly hasn’t dampened your spirits.”  
“That ain’t helpin’ me feel better.” You see the faintest twinge of a smile at the corner of his mouth as he looks at you and his ocean eyes twinkle.  
“I’m not trying to help you feel better right now, Arthur. For once in your life, there is nothing you can do to stop something. You might as well relax.”  
“Where is she anyhow? She’s got chores.”  
You stare at him; open mouthed in amused shock, “Since when do you care if your girl gets her chores finished…? Besides, you know full well that she got up early specially to get them done.”  
Arthur huffs, drains his coffee cup, flings the unread paper onto the table and stomps out of the kitchen.  
“Where are you going?!”  
“… Nowhere….” From the direction his voice drifted from it sounded like he had gone into the small study.  
“DON’T YOU BE GETTING YOUR OLD GUNBELT, MISTER!”

***

“ _There you go, sweet pea, just like that._ ” Arthur cooed as he knelt beside Bea in the stable, “ _Just keep your hand out flat and he’ll come over to you_.”   
The young black foal shuffled hesitantly toward the pair as Bea stood steadfast with the hay resting on her palm. Finally, it stood close enough to sniff at the offering and nibbled at it delicately.  
“ _It tickles!_ ” Bea whispered with a giggle.  
“It will.” Arthur laughed, “Do you like him?”  
“Yes!”  
“What do you think we should call him?”  
“I dunno.”  
“Well you better decide, sweetheart. He’s yours!”  
Bea looked wide-eyed at her father, “ _Mine?!_ ”  
“Of course!” he chuckled, “Your Momma and me think it best to get you lookin’ after your own, and there ain’t no time like the present. He will be with you a long time and a bond like that won’t break easy. We’ll both be showin’ you the ropes.”  
“… _Coal_. I like Coal.” She smiled as the foal sauntered back to its mother.  
“Then Coal it is.” He beamed.

***

The snowstorm passes leaving only a small dusting of white across the ranch, and it isn’t long until the sound of an engine comes spluttering down the road.  
“What you fussin’ about for?” Arthur grumbles as you quickly pick up the odd out-of-place trinket, and brush yourself down, “If he don’t like how we are, he can shove it.”  
“Will. You. Be _have_ , Arthur Morgan!” you shove him with some vague exasperation, “And I don’t know why you think for a _minute_ that boy will be intimidated by that _antique_ you suddenly decided to clean!”  
“It ain’t an antiq-… Well I guess it is these days...”   
“Just like you honey!” you call as you go to answer the door.  
Arthur makes no effort to move as he listens intently with a clenched jaw at the pleasantries you make to the guest.  
“Come in, come in, get yourself warm. Here, sit in the kitchen.” Arthur looks up as a tall young man enters, “This is Bea’s father, Mister Morgan.”  
“H-How d’you do, Sir?”  
Arthur nods.  
“Oh don’t mind that grump!” you tease, “Take a seat, I’ll just go hurry Bea along.”  
 _‘ **Behave**_ ’, you mouth to Arthur as the young man sits.

***

“Now quit your sniffling darling.” You said as Bea wiped her nose on her sleeve, “Why are you sniffling anyway? Because you’re mad, or because your hand hurts?”  
“I-I dunno.” She huffs, “…B-Both…?”  
“Well here, sit down and rest it in this bowl of water.”  
“What’s all this?” Arthur asked as he entered, dusty from his ranch duties, “Why is your Momma puttin’ your hand in there?”  
“Our daughter hurt herself on some little no-good’s face.” You said.  
“Ohhh well now,” Arthur dusted off his pants with some force before he sat down beside Bea, “That won’t do will it, Missy?”  
“He was bein’ horrid!” Bea’s face was full of defiance.  
“I am sure he was, young lady.” Arthur leaned back and laughed at an almost miniature replica of you, “But he ain’t worth injruin’ yourself over.”  
“He wouldn’t quit pullin’ my hair and kickin’ stones at me.” She muttered bitterly.  
“So, we teach you how to fight back without hurting yourself in the process.” You said as you sat on Arthurs lap and started to bind Bea’s knuckles.  
“Your Momma would be the expert in those matters.” Arthur mumbled into your shoulder with a kiss, as he wrapped an arm tightly around your waist and jiggled you with his knee, “There ain’t a fella in the world would mess with the Morgan women. _Me included_.” He winked.

***

The boy fidgets uncomfortably in the silence. He is brunette, tall, broad in the shoulders, and has the beginning signs of adulthood sprouting unevenly across his top lip. He was struggling between whether to look at Arthur or respectfully avert his gaze, which leads him to see the deconstructed gun on the table. It makes the old man smile.  
“SO!” Arthur sits up, clears his throat loudly and smirks as the young man opposite jumps slightly, “What’s your name, son?”  
“P-P-Patrick, Sir.”  
“Well, P-P-Patrick, what are your plans with my daughter this late afternoon?”  
“… Erm… Well, sh-she said she likes coffee… I thought a -erm- a visit to a c-coffee house would be just swell.”  
“We have coffee here. You are welcome to stay here and drink ours.”   
The boy’s nervous chuckle fades quickly as he realises Arthur’s stony expression stays granite-like.  
“What’s that you’re drivin’?” Arthur gets up and meanders to the window.  
“It’s the store van, Sir. I got permission to use it! I-I figured this weather ain’t for horses or bicycles.”  
“ _Or venturin’ out in with boys_.” Arthur mutters.  
“E-excuse me-?”  
“How old are you, son?” Arthur turns to see the boy look like he was being robbed, “Big vehicle for a 16-year-old to be drivin’. And you’re mighty tall too.”  
“I just turned seventeen, Sir. L-last month.”  
“Uh-huh.” Arthur saunters over to the boy and stands over him, “And how much do you know about my Beatrice?”  
“I-I ain’t had an inappropriate amount of time in her presence, Sir, but she and your wi- _Mrs Morgan_ have been quite kindly and conversational in passin’.”  
“And how attentive have you been to their conversations, boy?” From this distance he can see the beads of sweat begin to form at Patrick’s temple.  
“They have been most enthrallin’ in their tales.”  
Arthur Saw Patrick’s eyes dart back to the gun before swallowing a big lump of air, “Goooood.” He sips his coffee and places the cup on the table, before leaning down to Patrick’s eyeline; mere inches from his face, “ _Then you’ll know that of all three of us I am the one you gotta worry about the least. ‘Cause if you so much as snap a hair on that young woman’s head, you’ll have the fire of hades rainin’ down on you from those two, before I even get to flay that skin of yours._ ” He nods towards the rest of the house, “ _You think on that, **son**_.”  
Arthur stands up straight, smiles warmly and slaps the boy’s shoulder with a thick hand as you and Bea enter the kitchen.  
“… All good here?” you ask, looking at the young man who shot out of the chair, once pink-cheeked and excited, now pale and clammy.  
“Excellent! We had a nice talk didn’t we, Patrick?”  
“Y-yessir!” Patrick winces a smile and nods awkwardly.  
“ _Good._ ” You look at Arthur as he smirks into his coffee cup, before turning to your daughter, “Now sweetheart, don’t you be getting this young man into trouble, you hear? And Patrick, don’t you be taking no nonsense from her.”  
Bea rolls her eyes, “Yes Momma.” She sighs and gives you a peck on the cheek, “C’mon Patrick, let’s go.”  
“No later than seven tonight.” Arthur mumbles as his daughter gives him a quick kiss and a little roughhouse punch on the arm, “And make sure you wrap up, it’s cold out!”  
“I’ll be sure Jack don’t bite me, Pa!” she laughs as she shoves a nervous Patrick out the door.  
“ _It ain’t Jack Frost I’m worried about_.” Arthur sighs under his breath as you wave the pair off.

“See?” you say as you close the door and walk back to Arthur, “He’s not a bad kid.”  
“True,” Arthur laughs, “I like ones who scare easily. Plus, there are far worse out there I s’pose.” He reluctantly agrees as he pulls you to him and wraps you in his arms.  
“You being one of them as I recall.”  
“Hey now, that’s different!... I were _much_ older.”  
“ _Suuuuuure_. I’m sure you were just the pillar of virginal purity at seventeen!”  
“… Well… Let’s not go that far.” He chuckles and looks down at you. Neither time nor the hard work of the ranch has changed him much. The lines at the corners of his eyes are a little deeper, and there is grey through the sides of his dark blonde locks, but his eyes still sparkle with a mischievous youth, “But you should know it were your bad _baaad_ influence on me that lead me astray so wildly, Mrs Morgan.”  
“Well, I am mighty sorry for that.” You sigh breathily as he slowly runs his nose against yours, “Let me know if there’s anything that can make up for it.”  
“ _Ohhhhh I can think of a few things, sweetheart_.” He mumbles across your lips; a wicked grin peeling across his face before he pulls you in for a deep, passionate kiss.


End file.
